Brits risking hefty bills from chancing DIY

August 23, 2012

DIY-happy but underinsured homeowners in the UK are putting themselves at risk of hefty bills by attempting to fix problems in their homes themselves, according to the Halifax.

Research carried out by Halifax Home Insurance found that around two-thirds of the people surveyed said that they had carried out their own home improvements instead of calling in professionals, to try to save some money.

Halifax’s Martyn Foulds warned, however, that one in 10 of the respondents said that they did not have any home insurance at all, while a quarter of those surveyed said that they did not know whether their policies covered damage caused by botched DIY.

“These figures suggest that home owners who are trying to save cash by carrying out DIY are potentially risking hefty bills, so it is worth ensuring you have the right cover before embarking on any home improvements over the holiday,” he said.

“For more specialist jobs, such as those involving gas, electrical, plumbing or structural work, it’s always best to call in the qualified experts, otherwise home owners risk invalidating their home insurance policy if things go awry.”

Around 77 per cent of the respondents said that they would be happy to get handy with a paintbrush, 50 per cent would try their hand at putting up shelving while 11 per cent said that they would even attempt to install a fitted kitchen.